


A Sight For Weary Eyes

by Maluminspace



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Angst, Enemies to Lovers, Falling In Love, First Kiss, Harringrove, Homophobia, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pining, Self-Acceptance, Self-Hatred, Teen Angst, Teen love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-28 09:01:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19809043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maluminspace/pseuds/Maluminspace
Summary: Outwardly, Steve had always maintained that he hated Billy Hargrove. The two of them had pretty much been enemies since the day they met. Not surprising since the blonde boy had seemingly made his mission to make Steve’s life a misery from the second they’d laid eyes on each other. Privately however, Steve’s not sure that his feelings for Billy even come close to hatred. He's started to think that perhaps they're much closer to curious and intrigued, if he had to put a name to them.“Afternoon!” Robin calls to the Siblings, her tone bright and friendly. “I don’t suppose we could possibly interest either of you two in any ice cream today, could we?” She asks with a smile. “We’ve only had like five customers all day...”Billy rolls his eyes but offers no other response as he strides out of sight. Steve finds himself watching the spot where Billy  had disappeared for a long moment as Max assures Robin that she’ll be along tomorrow before she too scurries off towards the exit of the mall.





	A Sight For Weary Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first attempt at writing for this fandom so any feedback would be greatly appreciated!
> 
> I'm planning for this to be a three part fic, but I'll see it goes!
> 
> Title taken from ‘Colourblind’ by Hands Like Houses

Post-high school Steve Harrington isn’t the ladies man he’d previously thought he was destined to become. Having tried and failed to get a date pretty much every day since starting his new job couple of weeks ago, he’d come to realise that popularity doesn’t necessarily follow you after you graduate.

Despite dedicating a lot of his time to trying to work out where he’s going wrong, Steve has so far drawn a blank. He’d tried asking his coworker, Robin, for help but she can barely disguise how bored she is of hearing about his ‘dry spell’ anymore.

Perhaps even more depressing than his sudden inability to impress girls, was the realisation that he doesn’t really have any other friends to turn to for help. He can’t exactly count his ex-girlfriend’s little brother, Mike and his group of nerdy buddies. They mostly just use him to get into the movies for free and pretend to care about his problems so that he’ll give them discounted ice cream cones.

As trivial as his dating issues may seem to most people, it’s really starting to play on Steve’s mind. He doesn’t know how’s it’s possible to go from the senior that had his pick of girls to the guy who’s started to need dating advice from boys that have barely even started puberty.

To make matters even worse, the unseasonal rainstorm that’d hit Hawkins this morning means it’s turning out to be a slow day at Starcourt Mall. Fewer customers means more time for Steve to dwell on his misery.

With very little else to do, Robin’s taken to reading the book she keeps in her backpack. Even though she doesn't seem entirely gripped by it (if her frequent yawns are anything to go by), she has still deliberately sidestepped most of Steve’s attempts at starting up a conversation. After a lonely, leisurely lunch, Steve's boredom finally drives him to tidy up the napkins and spoons before ultimately driving him to wipe down the empty tables.

As he swipes the cloth over the already shiny table top of the booth nearest the door, an all-too familiar voice draws his attention to the walkway beyond the entrance to the ice cream shop.

“If anyone else had made me wait that long, I’d have knocked their head off of the stupid shoulders.” Billy grumbles, adjusting his leather jacket as he strides past, deliberately staying a pace or two in front of his little sister. 

“Yeah, yeah...” Max mocks, shaking her head and flipping her fiery red hair as she catches Steve’s eye and gives him a half-hearted smile. 

Steve waves to his young friend distractingly before returning his gaze to Billy. The blonde boy looks effortlessly cool, as always, and Steve can’t help feeling terribly jealous of his muscular arms. Just as his gaze subconsciously drifts over the rest of Billy, Robin clears her throat, seemingly on purpose. The unnecessarily loud noise drags Billy’s attention into the room and for a brief moment his stern gaze meets Steve’s. Sometimes when he shares eye contact with Billy like this, Steve forgets to how breathe. His mouth instantly dries up, making his tongue feel three times bigger than it usually does and his palms start to get all sweaty. 

Outwardly, Steve had always maintained that he hated Billy Hargrove. The two of them had pretty much been enemies since the day they met. Not surprising since the blonde boy had seemingly made his mission to make Steve’s life a misery from the second they’d laid eyes on each other. Privately however, Steve’s not sure that his feelings for Billy even come close to hatred. He's started to think that perhaps they're much closer to curious and intrigued, if he had to put a name to them.

“Afternoon!” Robin calls to the Siblings, her tone bright and friendly. “I don’t suppose we could possibly interest either of you two in any ice cream today, could we?” She asks with a smile. “We’ve only had like five customers all day...”

Billy rolls his eyes but offers no other response as he strides out of sight. Steve finds himself watching the spot where Billy had disappeared for a long moment as Max assures Robin that she’ll be along tomorrow before she too scurries off towards the exit of the mall.

After a long moment of silence, Robin breaks it with a sort of smug giggle. “I think I’ve figured out what your problem is, loser.” She states, the sound she makes dropping her book down onto the counter pulls Steve’s attention back into the shop.

“Huh?” He asks, feeling a little dazed as he turns to meet his coworker’s gaze. “What problem?” His mind is still full of his old nemesis, Billy’s ocean blue eyes seem to be burned into his brain.

Robin rolls her pretty eyes and Steve is instantly reminded of Billy doing just that a few seconds ago, faintly he's a little confused by that fact but he ignores the niggling feeling, trying to concentrate on what his friend is saying. “With girls...” Robin confirms, her tone taking on a slightly exasperated note.

Steve leans against the table he’s just cleaned, his legs feeling sort of shaky beneath him the way they do when he’s just stepped off a rollercoaster or when he’s had one beer too many at a party. “Really?” He quirks an eyebrow questioningly although his his lips are curled slightly downwards. “I’ll welcome any advice at this point.” 

Robin snorts, “I’m not sure how you’ll take it, Harrington.” She shrugs, “but I’m almost certain I’ve cracked it.”

Steve grabs his cloth and stalks over to the counter where Robin is now opening her book again, hunching over the counter so that her mousy hair falls over her face. “Then you _have_ to tell me.” He insists, barely trying to hide the pleading note that creeps into his voice. “I don’t know how much longer I can live like this!”

“I’ll just say this...” Robin replies, keeping her eyes downcast. “I think you’re subconsciously focusing your attention on one specific person.” She shrugs nonchalantly. "So your half-hearted attempts with everyone else are falling flat."

There’s a definite smugness to Robin’s tone now and Steve bristles impatiently. “That’s definitely not true!” He scoffs, hopping up onto the counter next to his coworker’s book. “If I had my sights set on one girl, I’d have focused all my energy on her, turned up the charm to an irresistible level, y’know?”

The laughter that bursts out of Robin is entirely offensive to Steve and he scowls at the back of her head until she tilts her head to look up at him. “Yeah, no one could resist the sweaty palms and the way your mouth hangs open like your trying to catch flies!” She giggles helplessly. “You look like even more of a dork than usual.”

Steve’s glower deepens as he processes his friend’s words. “That’s not true! How would you even know anyway?”

Robin quirks an eyebrow, her laughter dying down to leave a slightly baffled expression on her face. “You really have no idea, do you?” She asks. 

Shrugging, Steve tries to keep his growing annoyance out of his voice. “About what?” He groans, rubbing at his temples with his fingertips, he’s already so over Robin’s cryptic taunts.

“Wow... you really are as dumb as you look.” Robin replies, returning her attention to her book, the superior smirk back in her face as she tucks a strand of mousy hair behind one ear. 

Steve’s annoyance begins to evolve into anger, bubbling in his chest uncomfortably. “Will you stop with all this secretive bullshit and just spit it out?” The dark haired boy demands, slapping a hand over the page Robin is currently reading. 

After a second of tense silence, Robin meets Steve’s gaze defiantly. “You want the truth, Harrington?” She asks quietly, a trace of danger beneath her usual monotone. 

Steve nods, hiding the slight guilt he feels at allowing his anger to overwhelm him. “Yeah, I can take it.”

Robin holds Steve’s gaze steadily, seemingly figuring out the best way to word her response. He can practically see the cogs working behind her intense blue eyes. When she finally decides on her reply, Robin’s face hardens slightly, her eyes narrowing as her jaw tightens. “Okay, dumbass.” She says, her tone level and resolute. “I think you’re having such a tough time with girls because you’re head’s so full of Billy Hargrove all the time, maybe you should just ask him on a date instead.”

Before Steve can even sputter out how ridiculous that statement is, Robin snatches her book from beneath his hand and storms off into the back room, leaving her coworker in a stunned silence. As he begins to recover from the shock, Steve contemplates following Robin to argue with her. What she said was beyond stupid, it was entirely _crazy_. Steve likes girls and _only_ girls, he has no idea how Robin could think otherwise.

Just as he jumps down from the counter, ready to go and voice his thoughts to his stupid coworker, Billy’s beautiful blue eyes flash into his mind again and by the time he reaches the back room, Steve has imagined pretty much every part of Billy’s body. Not only does it strike Steve as surprising that he can even visualise the blonde boy so clearly, he also can’t deny the fluttering feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Robin looks up at Steve as he leans heavily against the wall. Her expression is still hard like she’s expecting an argument but she softens a little when she sees how pale Steve looks.

All of the reasons why Steve had thought Robin’s words were so ridiculous, suddenly seem lost in the frantic spinning of his mind. Just one word escapes his lips as his world seems to turn on it’s head, the realisation knocking him sideways like a physical blow. “ _Fuck._ ”

**Author's Note:**

> The next part is probably going to be much angstier. I apologise in advance.


End file.
